We like EDC flashlights that use AA and AAA batteries, since they make it easy to carry spares, allowing you to just plug in fresh cells as soon as current ones dry out. If you want to use a flashlight with built-in rechargeable batteries, though, then your best option is to carry a power bank along to plug it in any time you put it away. The Kobalt LED Flashlight & Charging Holster streamlines that setup by integrating a charging holster.
You know how wireless earbuds come with charging cases where their batteries automatically get replenished every time you put them away? It works in a similar way, with the holster housing an integrated battery that replenishes the flashlight’s power stores whenever it’s docked in place. Does such a feature make sense for flashlights? We’re not entirely sure, but it does bring some extra convenience that some folks might appreciate.
The Kobalt LED Flashlight & Charging Holster has a maximum light output of 2500 lumens, making it a powerful enough lighting tool for search operations, outdoor adventures, and other professional tasks. The set has two components, a 7-inch flashlight and a holster designed to clip to your belt, as well as two 4Ah 21700 batteries, one that goes in the flashlight and another that goes in the charging holster, so you should be able to take the battery off the holster and pop it in the flashlight if the current battery drains out in the middle of using it.
Of course, the whole point is to continually replenish the flashlight’s battery any time it’s docked in the holster, allowing you to use the flashlight for longer periods without having to plug in to USB power source or swap in a fresh cell. It recharges using contact pins in the flashlight and the holster, so you’ll need to line them up every time you dock the flashlight into place (a light indicator should let you know when it’s properly charging).
The Kobalt LED Flashlight & Charging Holster can run at the maximum setting of 2500 lumens for only 1.5 hours at a time, although you can lower it to 1,000 lumens for two hours or a gentler 250 lumens to stretch runtime for up to six hours. Since the holster houses a similarly-sized battery, it should theoretically double the runtime, although the actual numbers will likely depend on how much power you end up losing when charging via contact pins. A power level indicator on the body of the flashlight lets you know how much charge there is left.
The flashlight has a durable build cut in impact-resistant aluminum, with the whole thing rated for IPX4 water resistance, so this should be rugged enough for common outdoor uses. Other features include four brightness settings, a maximum beam distance of 240 meters, and a USB-C slot on the flashlight body for USB charging. From what we can tell, it should work with most standard 21700 batteries, so you can use additional ones as spares if you want to have multiple batteries in tow.
The Kobalt LED Flashlight & Charging Holster is available now, priced at $49.48.